the 2018 trust outlook...every time, and the trusted teacher, professor, or parent gets respected....
TRANSCRIPT
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 1
THE 2018TRUST OUTLOOKA study on the landscape and impact of trustacross divisions and around the world.
Research presented by
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CONTENTSThe 2018 Trust OutlookYour Most Valuable Resource . . . . . . . . . 2
Trust in Leadership The Business Case for Trust . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Trust in Sales Customers Want Competency . . . . . . . . 6
Trust in Hiring Increase Retention/Attraction . . . . . . . . 8
Trust in Organizations Character and Competency . . . . . . . . . 12
Trust in Tension Make or Break Your Business . . . . . . . . . 14
Trust in Training Equipping Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Trust Around the Globe Build Trust Globally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Research Conclusionand Takeaways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
About This Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
ICE: Inspire, Clarify, EquipOur Proven Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Case Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
This document is copyright 2018 Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved.
The information in this document can be referenced in the media, in whole or in part, as long as this
document is cited as the source for the information. In no way does this document provide an endorse-
ment of any product, service, company, or individual.
This document is provided “as is.” Information and views expressed in this document may change with
or without notice. The strategies and examples depicted herein are provided for illustration
purposes only and are not guarantees of specific results. You bear the risk of using this document.
TRUST IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCEFROM EAST TO WEST, leaders face daily challenges in
the workplace—as small as rescheduling a meeting, as
big as company-wide strategic shifts, and everything
in between. Essentially the only constant in culture
change of businesses and global governments is the
guarantee of bigger obstacles that come at leaders
faster; some may even say that’s the true sign of success.
In today’s economy, trust is the most valuable resource.
Around the globe a lack of trust is costing orga-nizations billions of dollars. Trust can accelerate,
and mistrust can destroy, any business, organization,
or relationship. The lower the level of trust, the more
time everything takes, the more everything costs, and
the lower the loyalty of everyone involved, whereas
greater trust brings improved innovation, retention,
morale, and business results. No matter what role or
title a person holds, trust affects their influence and
success.
THE 2018 TRUST OUTLOOK
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Contrary to popular perception, developing a high-
trust culture is not simply a soft skill—the highest
performing leaders and organizations recognize that
trust is an urgent necessity to stay ahead of the ever-growing competition.
With a push for faster growth and higher efficiency,
taking shortcuts and trampling over relationships can
seem like the quickest route to increase the bottom-
line but the real key to accelerating performance and
avoiding extinction in the new economy is trust. From
rural small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations,
building trust is crucial to genuine and lasting success
of any kind.
Where does The Trust Outlook™ come in? Awareness
of upcoming obstacles as well as potential opportuni-
ties can give organizations an edge on their compe-
tition. This cross-generational, international study of nearly 5,000 adults was designed to explore the
worldwide perception and impact of trust.
The study uncovers what employees really think about
trust: how it can be built, how it can be lost, and how
people decide to stay at or leave an organization as a
result. This study’s findings provide rare insight into
the global impact of trust and a vital awareness of
how trust will impact leaders and organizations in the
coming year.
Trust Edge Leadership Institute is pleased to present
this groundbreaking international research. In order
to schedule a media interview about the study and
its findings, please contact Anne Engstrom at Anne@
TrustEdge.com
Best regards,
David Horsager, CEO, Trust Edge Leadership Institute
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. TRUST IN LEADERSHIP
8 Pillars of TrustCLARITY
People trust the clear and mistrust the ambiguous.
COMPASSION People put faith in those who care beyond themselves.
CHARACTER People notice those who do what’s right over what’s easy.
COMPETENCY People have confidence in those who stay fresh, relevant,
and capable.
COMMITMENT People believe in those who stand through adversity.
CONNECTIONPeople want to follow, buy from, and be around friends.
CONTRIBUTION People immediately respond to results.
CONSISTENCY People love to see the little things done consistently.
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 5
UNCOVERING THE BUSINESS CASEFOR TRUSTTHE SINGLE UNIQUENESS of the greatest leaders and
organizations of all time is trust. A lack of trust is your biggest expense. For the trusted brand
people will pay more, come back and tell others. The
trusted leader is followed or voted for; The trusted
salesperson is bought from, in spite of price, almost
every time, and the trusted teacher, professor, or
parent gets respected.
If you think trust is just a soft skill, think about a credit
score—it’s really just a trust score. The more you are
trusted by the lender, the less you pay over the course
of the loan. With a supplier you trust, one call is enough
to get the job done. With a supplier you don’t trust,
even after a bunch of stress, you still don’t get what
you want.
Companies with high trust levels outperform compa-
nies with low trust levels by 186% (Watson Wyatt, Work
USA). Trust, not money, is the currency of business and life.
. TRUST IN LEADERSHIP
When trust goes up, costs and skepticism go down,
people are willing to take risks, so innovation and
loyalty go up. Everything changes when trust increases
even just a little bit.
The pillars of trust are the 8 distinct qualities that build
the competitive advantage gained when others confi-
dently believe in you. This great advantage is called
The Trust Edge.
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CUSTOMERS WANT COMPETENCY MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE
The trust between buyers and sellers is multifaceted.
The data reveals that salespeople also must be able to
answer questions, explain costs, and listen actively. A
competent and trustworthy sales department will set
businesses apart from the competition in 2018.
THOUGH THE ROLE OF A SALESPERSON has shifted
drastically since the days of door-to-door canvassing,
the skepticism from customers remains. How can
salespeople and their leaders best manage such
skepticism from buyers? Increase competence.
Around the globe, buyers are seeking sales-people who are knowledgeable about the
product they are selling—even above explaining the
costs clearly! When salespeople are able to genuinely
and confidently share about their product or service,
the customer is put more at ease and is more likely to
purchase.
In fact, knowledge is over 5x more valued than
sharing positive ratings. Reviews and positive ratings
are becoming less and less trusted, likely because
they are easy to manipulate.
TRUST IN SALES
RESEARCH
FIND
ING
S
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 7
As a customer, which of the following is the #1 thing a salesperson can do to earn your trust the fastest?
Answer questions
Listen actively
Share positive ratings
Explain all costs clearly
Be knowledgeable about the product
WORLD U.S.A.
18% 20%
18% 19%
7% 7%
19%
38%
18%
36%
40 035 530 1025 1520 2015 2510 305 350 40
Companies with high trust levels
outperform companies with
low trust levels
by 186%. —Watson Wyatt, Work USA
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TRUST INCREASES RETENTION AND ATTRACTION
The study found that trust matters from the very start of an employee’s experience on the job.
To increase retention, offer leadership development
opportunities and have the new hire meet their boss
one-on-one within the first week of starting. In the
United States, more than 80 million people are looking
for these two key dynamics in a work environment.
In addition to leadership training and connecting with
leadership, employees want employers to be transparent and keep their promises. In
fact, 64% of people said either promises being kept or
transparency being practiced was the #1 action that
would increase how long they stay with an employer.
Following through on commitments creates a culture
of trust and leads to increased satisfaction for both
employees and employers.
Attracting the Best TalentLOOKING INTO 2018, business leaders are trying to find
the best way to bring in top talent. What do employees
want? The study found that, contrary to popular belief,
very few people place priority on autonomy in the
workplace. Rather, the #1 quality that makes someone want to start working for an organization is having trusted leadership.
In today’s talent pool, trust impacts everything from
recruiting and onboarding to training and retirement.
Human Resources professionals are exploring new
methods of how to attract and retain employees in the
everchanging and competitive talent market.
Retaining the Best Talent What are new hires really looking for and how can
employers increase retention while building a culture
that attracts their ideal candidates?
TRUST IN HIRING
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Commitment goes both ways. When individuals trust
the leadership of their organization, they are more
committed to the organization as a whole. They will be
a better team player, work longer hours, be more loyal,
and even offer more ideas and solutions to help the
company. Leaders can capitalize on commitment by
first being committed to their team before expecting
commitment from others. Lead by example.
Globally, more than 75% of all people believe ongoing
training would help them trust their employer more.
Though all training can increase trust and lead to a
stronger bottom line, leadership development and
personal development training would most help an
employee value their organization. Employees with
high competency in their area of expertise are critical
but the study found that technical development is
least likely to improve employees’ perception of the
value of their workplace.
More than 75% of all people believe ongoing training would help them trust
their employer more.
Retaining high-performing talent takes careful stra-
tegy along with old-fashioned hard work. Findings
revealed that more people leave an organiza-tion because of not feeling appreciated
than because of distrusting the leadership. A great
place for leaders to start reducing turnover is to simply
show more appreciation. Learn to genuinely display
compassion to teams through appreciation and watch
effectiveness and retention increase.
In his book, THE TRUST EDGE, Horsager recommends
appreciating people using the “S.P.A. method”:
S=Specific. Specificity breeds credibility so acknowl-
edge something specific
P=Personalized. Make the appreciation about them.
Some people may want to be publicly appreciated
whereas others might prefer a handwritten note.
A=Authentic. If it is not sincere people know it; they
can smell insincerity a mile away.
36% of employees in the U.S. are also looking for
personal development opportunities. The Human
Resources department can be preparing for increased
desire for training in the coming year as well as a priority
on developing trusted leadership in the c-suite.
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40 035 530 1025 1520 2015 2510 305 350 40
As an employee, what is the #1 action that would increase how long you stay with an employer?
Consistent interaction with leadership
Promises are kept
Mistakes are acknowledged and corrected
Transparency is practiced at all levels of the organization
What are you willing to do for your organization if you trust the leadership?
Work longer hours
Offer more ideas and solutions
Be a better team player
Be more loyal
Take a pay cut to keep the company going
What training would make you most value your organization?
Technical development
Leadership development
Personal development
What would most make you leave an organization?
Not trusting the leadership
Not feeling appreciated
Not being aligned with the values
Annoying co-workers
Not feeling capable in this role.
WORLD
WORLD
WORLD
WORLD
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
18%
19%
26%
30%
21%
21%
28%
24%
29%
26%
33%
33%
33%
23%
36%
40%
18%
26%
21%
36%
18%
25%
16%
36%
35%
23%
8%
7%
11%
28%
23%
10%
7%
10%
35
35
35
0
0
0
5
5
5
10
10
10
15
15
15
20
20
20
25
25
25
30
30
30
35
35
35
30
30
30
25
25
25
20
20
20
15
15
15
10
10
10
5
5
5
0
0
0
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 11
Trust, not money, is the currency of business and life.
12 | © MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed.
CHARACTER AND COMPETENCY PROVIDE HUGE ADVANTAGES
develops trustworthiness, they can subsequently ask
for the same from their followers which can lead to an
increase in trust throughout a corporate culture and a
correlated bottom line.
Research findings revealed a difference between roles
in developing trust. Employees say that work ethic is
most important in trusting their immediate supervisor
whereas competency as a leader is more vital when
trusting senior leaders. To outperform the competition,
focus 2018 training initiatives on work ethic for super-
visors and leadership development for senior execu-
tives. To increase character, Horsager recommends:
• Define it. Clarify what character looks like for your
organization.
• Assess it. A Trust Edge 360°™or Enterprise Trust
Index™ can show gaps before it’s too late.
• Systemize it. Remove incentives or programs that
are systemized against high character and imple-
ment systems that promote character growth.
HALF OF ALL PEOPLE TURN TO THEIR VALUES when
it comes to difficult decisions. Whether someone is a
front-line cashier or the c-suite executive, values drive
decision-making even more than finances or relation-
ships. Leaders who decide on the top values by which
they make every decision are able to make faster, more
congruent decisions.
Gaining trust starts with each individual becoming
more and more trustworthy. Though trust can be
earned in many ways, one of the fastest ways to build
genuine trustworthiness is by making and keeping
commitments. People trust those who make clear commitments and follow through on them. When a person overcommits and cannot
deliver or commits to something ambiguous, they
are perpetuating a culture of skepticism and distrust
which will smother businesses in the new economy.
Trusted leadership is worth millions of dollars in recrui-
ting, hiring, training, and productivity. When a leader
TRUST IN ORGANIZATIONS
RESEARCH
FIND
ING
S
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 13
When you have a decision between two good options, what is the most important factor in the decision?
Values
Relationships
Finances
As an employee, what would most help you trust your immediate supervisor more?
Clarity of goals
Competency as a leader
High character
Work ethic
As an employee, what would most help you trust your senior executives more?
Clarity of goals
Competency as a leader
High character
Work ethic
What most makes you want to work for an organization?
Trusted leadership
Fun environment
Benefits
Higher compensation
Personal development opportunities
Autonomy in the workplace
WORLD
WORLD
WORLD
WORLD
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
50% 49%
27% 28%
22% 23%
0
0
0
5
5
5
10
10
10
15
15
15
20
20
20
25
25
25
30
30
30
3535
3535
3535
30
30
30
50 045 540 1035 1530 2025 2520 3015 3510 405 450 50
25
25
25
20
20
20
15
15
15
10
10
10
5
5
5
0
0
0
16%
16%
17%
15%
15%
23%
36%
36%
13%
31%
31%
15%
19%
22%
22%
15%
29%
22%
22%
19%
16%
25%
25%
16%
10%
32%
32%
8%
14 | © MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed.
TENSION CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR BUSINESS
Tension is not as simple as many may think. Despite
the largely positive view of the concept, almost half of
all people say their primary way to deal with tension in
the workplace is to minimize it.
With the data revealing a stark dichotomy of tension,
how might employers best navigate through it and
equip their people to succeed in 2018?
Change the narrative. Reframe the negative perception of tension by being clear about its benefits. Clarity builds trust. The leader who
clearly acknowledges tension, and promotes its hidden
value by working through it, will reap the benefits and
gain greater trust throughout the organization.
IN ORCHESTRAS, STRING TENSION is not a guessing
game. It’s decisive and strategic. Specific formulas
guide musicians to bring their instruments into
perfect tension so they can achieve their ideal pitch.
Take a listen to an instrument that has less than
perfect tension and find an excruciating sound.
Globally, more than half of all people recognize
tension as a necessary facet of organizations. 66% say
the amount of tension in their organization is “just
about right,” acknowledging the delicate balance of
tension in the modern workplace.
Though tension may often be initially perceived as
a negative dynamic, when taking a deeper look, the
study found that many people view the concept as
an opportunity for growth more than an obstacle to
success. In fact, almost 50% of people globally view
tension as either an opportunity for growth or a tool
to be utilized in their organization.
TRUST IN TENSION
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Instead of continuing to minimize tension, everyone
from front line employees to c-suite leaders can profit
from stepping into tension with the mindset of lever-
aging it for growth. Easier said than done, of course.
Most individuals are not eager to jump into tense
situations, and rightly so with the methods of handling
tension often found in the corporate world.
When individuals throughout all divisions are equipped
to manage challenging conversations and relational
dynamics, a corporate culture begins to shift towards
one of trust rather than a culture of skepticism.
Though there may be a time and place to avoid tension
altogether, in the majority of circumstances a well-trained leader can strategically leverage tense challenges and gain a stronger, more unified team than those who step around the issue.
Across divisions, tension impacts business perfor-
mance. Although interpersonal issues, pressure from
management, and meeting deadlines generate the
most tension, managing growth, legal compliance,
and development of new products produce signifi-
cant tension. In fact, nearly 1 in 4 Americans believe
managing growth is the aspect that generates the
most tension.
Additionally, almost 1 in 4 of all employees have seen
an increase in tension in their organization over the
past three years. Why? It might be due to shifts in work-
place dynamics. People tend to say less out loud and
have adjusted to a climate where verbally processing
through issues can even be viewed as a hindrance to
business performance. Whether it be from political
correctness or a simple increase in social awareness,
people are tending to focus on “getting the job done”
and staying quieter. Yet amidst national movements,
people are encouraged and empowered to speak up,
which can create a tension in workplace cultures.
1 in 4 of all employees have seen an increase in tension in their organization
over the past three years.
Another factor is the increasing need for a wide variety
of communication skills. From tweets to video confer-
ence calls to Facebook advertising, the business world
has seen a change in both written and instant commu-
nication dynamics. This often draws employees in to
being on-call 24/7. Being “out of the office” is becoming
a concept of the past.
Furthermore, travel has increased, the sales and
marketing spheres have broadened, and role special-
ization has become the norm in most industries. As a
result, there are more people in more places and busi-
nesses are recognizing the need to increase their hiring,
training, and managing.
These workplace shifts can be both a benefit and a
challenge; in other words, they are tensions. Although
hiring virtual (out of the office) employees can reduce
cost, it can also hinder efficiency due to challenges in
communication and collaboration. Employees being
accessible around the clock may provide a sense
of peace for on-the-go executives but stretching
employees beyond a healthy work/life balance can lead
to burnout and high turnover—and the list goes on.
Industry leaders who recognize and leverage the deli-
cate tensions in their organization will outperform their
competitors in both market share and bottom-line
growth.
Change itself can be a tension. Without change, organi-
zations grow stagnant and become irrelevant to fluctu-
ating markets, yet change that happens too fast or too
soon can quickly bring a business to its downfall. Trust matters more than ever as leaders prepare for the
changes of 2018 and onward. Organizations prepared
to manage tension amidst change will set themselves
apart in their industry.
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16 | © MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed.
In your opinion, what amount of tension exists in your organization?
Too little
Just about right
Too much
In general, how do you most view tension in your organization?
A hindrance to decision making
An opportunity for growth
An obstacle to succes
A symptom of failure
A tool to be utilized
What is the primary way to deal with tension within your organization?
Ignore it
Tolerate it
Minimize
Leverage it
Promote it
Which aspects of your business generate the most tension?
Interpersonal issues
Developing new products
Pressure from management
Meeting deadlines
Complying with laws & regulations
Managing growth
WORLD
WORLD
WORLD
WORLD
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
10%
20%
13%
23%
10%
20%
9%
23%
14%
34%
66%
10%
15%
32%
69%
9%
42%
19%
21%
24%
46%
20%
22%
22%
26%
12%
20%
19%
13%
21%
8%
15%
11%
12%
11%
15%
11%
13%
70 0
45 040 535 1030 1525 2020 2515 3010 355 400 45
35
35
0
0
5
5
10
10
15
15
20
20
25
25
30
30
35
35
60 10
30
30
50 20
25
25
40 30
20
20
30 40
15
15
20 50
10
10
10 60
5
5
0 70
0
0
RESEARCH
FIND
ING
S
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 17
RESEARCH
FIND
ING
S
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 17
Tension in Diversity: A Special ReportIncreasing diversity also creates tension in the workplaces. Most people believe diversity is
“important” to “extremely important” for high-performing teams in terms of mission, back-
ground, and values. However most people like to work with people who are like them.
What is most important to a high performing team?
Similar values
Similar personality
Similar background
Diverisity of background
Diversity of ethnicity
What type of team do you most like to work with?
People who are a lot like me
People who are a lot different than me
80 070 1060 2050 3040 4030 5020 6010 700 80
WORLD
WORLD
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
47% 45%
10% 13%
6% 8%
27% 23%
9% 11%
50 045 540 1035 1530 2025 2520 3015 3510 405 450 50
62% 69%
38% 31%
A lack of trustis your biggest
expense.
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EQUIPPING EMPLOYEES DIFFERENTIATES INDUSTRY LEADERS WHETHER IN SALES, MARKETING, IT, or HR, a well-
equipped team is the most powerful tool to improve
alignment and create a high-performance culture.
Learning tools and strategies in topics like productivity,
motivation, conflict management, change, communi-
cation, and even strategic planning will yield greater
competency and results from employees across the
industry spectrum and around the globe.
In corporate education, training in leadership, personal,
and technical development all have their place and
purpose. On an international scale, all three are almost
perfectly tied in terms of helping employees better
value their organization.
Employees in the U.S. want leadership development
and personal development twice as much as technical
development, even though the desire for technical
training goes up with the age and tenure of the
employee.
TRUST IN TRAINING
As the research has shown, employees want to work for an organization they value and where they feel appreciated. A simple yet
vital starting point to show appreciation is to provide
ongoing training for individuals and teams.
RESEARCH
FIND
ING
S
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 19
Would ongoing training help you trust your employer more?
Yes
No
What training would make you most value your organization?
Technical development
Leadership development
Personal development
80 070 1060 2050 3040 4030 5020 6010 700 80
WORLD U.S.A.
76%
24%
72%
28%
40 035 530 1025 1520 2015 2510 305 350 40
WORLD U.S.A.
30%
33%
36%
24%
40%
36%
Trustflows from
individuals, not organizations.
20 | © MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed.
BUILD TRUST GLOBALLY WITH COMPASSION AND COMPETENCEFOR ALL OF THE WONDERFUL BENEFITS worldwide
commerce brings, it presents an enormous challenge
with regards to trust. Globalization, outsourcing,
changing business models, and the effort to deal across
cultures, values systems, and governments create an
ocean of opportunity for suspicion and distrust.
What can local and international leaders do to close
the gap worldwide?
In building trust globally, competency and compas-
sion are more vital than ever. Maintaining a posture of
humility and listening attentively will help to bridge
cross-cultural challenges in the global market.
Competency boils down to staying fresh, relevant,
and capable. In the case of global trust, putting in the
work to develop a functional understanding of cultural practices and local business formats will set apart leaders in the marketplace.
TRUST AROUND THE GLOBE
The study shows the necessity of trust development in
the face of vast differences. For instance…
In Japan, only 30% of employees make decisions
on values whereas in Nigeria, 72% employees make
decisions on values. In such different organizational
climates, trust becomes the common denominator for
parsing through international business markets.
Japan
make decisions on values
make decisions on values
Nigeria
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 21
Almost 3 out of 4 people in Kenya want to meet their
boss one-on-one during their first week on the job,
whereas only 1 in 4 would say that in Germany.
In China, more than half say their primary way to deal
with tension is to leverage it compared to a striking
16% in Australia.
Kenya
want�rst week1 on 1
want�rst week1 on 1
Germany
China
leveragetension
leverage tension
Australia
Although the study found variances in some priorities
and business methods globally, a significant portion of
the data revealed similarities between every continent.
Despite language and cultural differences, the global
reach of business is ever increasing. Find unity in diversity and recognize similarities to maxi-
mize the benefits of international business.
22 | © MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed.
RESEARCH CONCLUSIONAND TAKEAWAYS
TRUST IN APPLICATION
THE 2018 TRUST OUTLOOK™ gave several insights into
what will be critical to building trust this year. The study
found the #1 reason people want to work for an organization is trusted leadership.
Three more stand-out findings follow:
1 Your people care about competence.
Competency has been a pillar of success since the
beginning of our work on driving results through trust.
However, this year it seems to be more important than
ever.
One key finding: Customers want competency more than anything else—much more than
active listening, clearly explaining costs, and positive
ratings. (Reviews are continually less believed in, likely
because they are easy to manipulate.) Buyers want to
buy from someone that is knowledgeable about the
product or service. 38% of respondents said being
knowledgeable was most important for sales people
to quickly earn trust. The next closest response was
way behind with 19% saying explaining all costs was
more important to earning trust. This is a shift from last
year’s findings.
Your people have a strong passion to increase
their own competence in work and life. Educating
employees across divisions will continue to differ-
entiate industry leaders in 2018. 76% of respon-dents said ongoing training would help them trust their employer more. More
than two-thirds of those surveyed said they want
Leadership Development and Personal Development
training over Technical Development training. The
right education significantly increases trust, engage-
ment, and productivity, especially if employees think
it will benefit them as a person and leader. Companies
don’t get better, people do. When you cultivate better
people and leaders it drives better results and a better
culture.
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2 Prioritize character.The cost of a lack of character has been glaring this last
year in everything from politics and sports to banking
and Hollywood. People trust those who do what is right over what is easy. Hypocrisy
kills character. Around the globe, most people share a
fundamental sense of right and wrong. Integrity and
good morals join together to form character, a neces-
sary ingredient for building the Trust Edge.
50% of people surveyed said they are making decisions based on values
rather than finances or relationship.
In the 2017 Trust Outlook™, we found that only 25% of
Americans would take $1 Million over a trusted repu-
tation. Additionally, high morals were the number one
reason people trusted themselves. We continue to see
a yearning for high-character leaders.
The Trust Outlook™ found the top actions an employer
can take to increase retention were keeping promises
and transparency at all levels of the organization. In
the global study, transparency was most requested
and in the US portion of the study, keeping promises
had the slight edge over transparency.
Since 50% of people surveyed said they are making
decisions based on values rather than finances or rela-
tionship, business leaders will profit by hiring people of
good character and by developing character through
L&D initiatives.
We believe character can be taught or devel-oped in every organization. When character
and positive accountability increase, we see a direct
effect on the bottom line. We have also worked with
organizations this year that were systemized against
character through certain culture norms and incentive
programs. Until changed, they did not enjoy the bene-
fits of this Pillar of Trust.
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To increase character in organizations, we recommend:
1. Defining what character and accountability
looks like in your organization. We often find
that people—even those with accountability as
a value—don’t really know what accountability
looks like.
2. Continuing to communicate and educate high
character and accountability throughout the
organization. We have found that character can be
taught even late in life—and it makes a difference.
3. Hiring on character.
4. Taking a serious look at where you may be system-
ized against high character.
3 Leverage tension.Around the world, people recognize tension as an
inevitable factor of organizational composition. More
than 6 out of 10 people even say the amount of tension
in their organization is “just about right.” The complex
nature of tension in the workplace manifests unique
opportunity for leaders who are equipped to reap its
benefits. We find that the best leaders can make good
decisions, even amidst tension and opposing options.
Though tension is often perceived as a negative
dynamic, the study found that it contains significant
possibilities for growth. Almost 50% of people glob-
ally view tension as either an opportunity for growth
or a tool to be utilized in their organization. Despite
the largely positive view of tension, almost half of all
people say their primary way to deal with tension in
the workplace is to minimize it.
In essence, employees view tension as an opportunity
yet they most often try to minimize it. To bridge the
gap, organizations can train employees to manage tension through the lens of opportunity instead of skepticism or fear. How? Lead by example.
In situations of tension, leaders who demonstrate high
capacity decision-making multiply trust.
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What about diversity? As the massive study by
Harvard Professor Richard Putnam found, too much
of the wrong kind of diversity loses trust (Putnam,
2007). But it is just as true that homogeneity kills
creativity and innovation. We believe organizations
can enjoy the proven value of diversity in the midst
of research based findings that showed people tend
to more quickly trust those that look like themselves.
The 2018 Trust Outlook™ revealed that most people
believe that diversity is important to high-performing
teams. However, when asked what kind of team they
most like to work with, nearly seven in ten said they
like to work with people a lot like themselves.
To leverage the best of diversity, the Clarity pillar is critical. While leaders don’t
seem to believe it, diverse ideas find fertile ground as
long as there is a clear common goal and clear shared
values. We find that employees understand the need
for change if they are given a clear “why” for the
change. Commonly, leaders lose trust fast in change
because they neglect to give a clear, consistent “why”
for the needed change. Clarity builds trust even in the
midst of massive change.
Putnam, Robert D. Bowling Alone: the Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon & Schuster, 2007.
ABOUT THE STUDY
The AuthorTrust Edge Leadership Institute (TELI) is a St. Paul, Minnesota-based company with a mission to develop trusted leaders and organizations. Since 1999, TELI has pioneered trust development through research, speaking, human capital devel-opment, and consulting on trust and its proven impact on the bottom line.
David Horsager, founder and CEO of Trust Edge Leadership Institute, is the leading expert on trust. His work has been featured in prominent publications such as Fast Company, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. David has worked with clients ranging from Verizon and FedEx to the New York Yankees and global governments. As the bestselling author of The Trust Edge and The Daily Edge, David has taken the plat-form across the United States and on six continents.
The Research MethodologyThe custom online survey was adminis-tered to 1,202 U.S. adults, ages 18-65 and at least 400 adults, ages 18-65 in each of the following countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom. All countries were chosen based on highest GDP per continent, except Canada, Japan, and Kenya which were special interest countries. The sample is representa-tive of the current census data for age, gender, and region, and participants were screened for age and education level. The survey was conducted online from September 7–12, 2017 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.
26 | © MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed.
In every interaction, we increase
or decrease trust.
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 27
ICE: Our Proven Process for Accelerating Results with Trust
INSPIRE… with global trust expert David Horsager.
Activate your audience and accelerate performance with a powerful keynote.
CLARIFY …with the Enterprise Trust Index.TM
Benchmark trust levels and create a clear path forward. Specific data across locations and departments reveals key drivers impacting current levels of trust.
EQUIP…with human capital development and training tools.
Increase alignment and see measurable results. Certify your leaders and equip your teams with a common language around trust.
Options include: Workshops, Certification, Training, and Licensing.
28 | © MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed.
Case Study: Fortune 100 Company50 U.S. states, 125 countries, 100,000+employees
CHALLENGE
Corporate culture was not unified, which was negatively affecting performance, engagement, and
business growth.
SOLUTION Utlizing the Trust Edge 3-Phase ICE Process
INSPIRE a shift of thinking and give a common language.
• Delivered over 30 inspiring kick-off keynotes across a variety of business units and spanning all
three major leadership divisions
• Keynoted annual Company Summit that reached 3,000 people live and 10,000+ via 60 satellite
sites on six continents to increase alignment across the organization
• Coached senior leaders on roll-out and messaging for greatest impact
CLARIFY and benchmark performance improvement.
• Engaged in multiple Trust Edge Assessment meetings in order to contextualize and customize
content for this unique organization’s top priorities
• Utilized Enterprise Trust Index™ with top 500 leaders
EQUIP with actionable tools.
• Facilitated the Trust Edge Experience™ workshop with senior leaders and with multiple cohorts
to give actionable tools for increasing Pillars of Trust and performance of teams
• Certified leaders to teach Trust Edge Experience™ throughout organization
• Integrated Trust Edge material into culture ambassador workbooks
• Developed trust with internal company ambassadors
• Integrated IP and collaborated with Human Resources and culture offices throughout
organization
• Provided multiple customized video, coaching, and consulting interfaces to increase consistent
use of Trust Edge tools
• Implemented ongoing Trust Edge University and reinforcement programs to provide account-
ability and results that go well beyond previous, short-lived training initiatives
RESULTS
400-point increase in engagement score over last two years
Increased sales
Increased efficiency and effectiveness
“David hit a home run…again!” —SVP of Culture, Fortune 500
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 29
Case Study: Health Center13 locations, 600+employees
CHALLENGE
Organization faced ongoing attrition, unempowered managers, and departmental division.
SOLUTION Utlizing the Trust Edge 3-Phase ICE Process
Implemented 18-month, company-wide Human Capital Initiative using The Trust Edge™ which led
to multi-year, ongoing Trust Edge transformation process
INSPIRE a shift of thinking and give a common language.
• Keynote inspired CEO to believe the Trust Edge work could help solve current challenges
• Facilitated Trust Edge ExperienceTM with Senior Leadership Team
• Delivered keynote at company-wide annual meeting to inspire buy-in and excitement around common language and Trust Edge roll-out
CLARIFY and benchmark performance improvement.
• Administered Enterprise Trust Index™ annually to benchmark growth change and clarify next opportunity to close gaps and increase performance
• Implemented ongoing assessment of results and help to simplify for best next steps that will continually improve organizational culture amidst change
• Provided clear, customized executive briefs and consulting to zero in on the next most important priorities
EQUIP with actionable tools.
• Hand picked volunteers from Senior Leadership team who became equipped and certified to train the Trust Edge Experience™ internally
• Provided ongoing use of Trust Edge Ambassador program and Trust Edge University
RESULTS
18% decrease in attrition in 12 months
Improved engagement and morale from Senior Leadership
Lower skepticism and inefficiencies in communication
Enterprise Trust Index™ increase of 12% in one year
Increased efficiency and effectiveness in interactions
Language successfully implemented into organization and affirmed through monthly recogni-tions of trust with “Pillar Awards”
8-Pillar Trust Edge Framework™ used to make faster, more consistent decisions across the
organization
“Trust Edge was a vehicle for a common language
and it has worked extremely well.”
—CEO
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Case Study: DealershipMultinational Fortune 500 organization
CHALLENGE
Decreased performance, profitability stress, and inconsistent customer service were creating havoc.
SOLUTION Utlizing the Trust Edge 3-Phase ICE Process
INSPIRE a shift of thinking and give a common language.
• COO engaged David Horsager for regional annual meetings to inspire thinking bigger about
increasing consistency
• Keynoted meeting for corporate leadership to generate buy-in and discuss roll-out of deeper
Trust Edge impact
CLARIFY and benchmark performance improvement.
• Performed Trust Edge audit of organization and designed a transformative solution
• Provided Trust Edge 360TM Assessments on all managers and leaders with coaching and training
EQUIP with actionable tools.
• Sent all General Managers and location managers through Trust Edge Leadership Coaching
• Implemented expedited Trust Edge Performance Coaching for high-potential leaders
• Consulted with Senior Leadership team
• Enrolled top producers in Trust Edge University
RESULTS
Increased market share by 10%
$4.2 million in revenue in 90 days from one top producer
Delivered more to bottom line
Sold more new equipment than prior year
Became one of the top three dealership groups
David’s work is not just about strengthening our business. It’s really about establishing the
right foundation and fundamentals.”—COO
© MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed. | 31
Case Study: Professional DevelopmentInternational organization of 2,100 members
CHALLENGE
Organization was losing members and rapidly shrinking.
SOLUTION Utlizing the Trust Edge 3-Phase ICE Process
INSPIRE a shift of thinking and give a common language.
• Keynote at national meetings and president’s meetings to create buy-in and shift thinking about
trust and its bottom line impact
CLARIFY and benchmark performance improvement.
• Planned board retreats and created strategic plan
• Established standards of excellence
• Led strategic planning and roll out
EQUIP with actionable tools.
• Invested in Board of Directors and Senior Leadership team with a three-year coaching and
consulting commitment
• Rolled out new mission statement and values
• Trained chapter leadership
• Implemented executive advising with Board of Directors and Senior Leadership
• Infused a variety of Trust Edge training and keynotes throughout organization
• Integrated 8 Pillars of Trust into organizational culture and decision making
RESULTS
Decreased attrition by 20% in three-year period
Established common language across organization
Increased alignment
“Our attempts to ‘slowdown in order to go fast’ didn’t work until David showed us how to reframe our thinking with the
Trust Edge pillars and tools. This framework helped us by answering a lot of unanswered questions.
We are learning how to operate better together.”
32 | © MMXVIII Trust Edge Leadership Institute. All rights reserved. Media usage allowed.
Because trust is more crucial
than ever.
651-340-6555 www.TrustEdge.com